Children's Hospice - House for Julia

Set in a quiet park on the outskirts of Brno, House for Julia offers palliative and respite care in a calm, homelike environment. The building follows the natural slope, enclosing a courtyard with mature trees and a pond. Concrete, larch, and glass define a restrained yet warm architecture. Generous glazing, terraces, and roof paths connect interior and landscape, allowing children to experience light, nature, and movement often absent from clinical care. The design promotes openness and quiet continuity, blurring boundaries between care, home and garden while remaining private and functional.

The project confronted the challenge of designing a hospice that could provide long-term care not only for children with serious illnesses but also for their families. Each family member faces different physical and emotional needs, requiring a spatial concept with varying levels of intimacy while maintaining functional clarity. The design was shaped through intensive dialogue with families seeking such support and by studying several international facilities specialising in palliative care. Our strategy redefined the hospice as a sanctuary rather than an institution — a place where psychological well-being is as vital as medical care. Hierarchy and isolation were replaced with continuity and openness: private rooms, therapy areas, and family or communal spaces are linked in a calm circular flow. Integration with nature became the key therapeutic principle, while a farewell apartment with a memorial atrium ensures that even the hardest moments unfold in privacy, peace, and dignity.

The building is integrated into the terrain, allowing barrier-free access from the outside to each of its three levels. Monolithic reinforced concrete is used as the primary structural material, providing strength, durability, and thermal stability. Its character is expressed in the interior, while the exterior is finished with concrete-gray polished plaster complemented by larch cladding and large-format glazing in wooden frames. The overhangs of the concrete slabs cover terraces and entrances, providing shelter and passive shading to prevent overheating of the interior despite the generous glazing. Heating and cooling operate through a conduit system embedded in the concrete and fibre-cement ceilings, supplied by three air-to-water heat pumps concealed within façade niches. Green roofs reduce heat gain, retain rainwater, and visually anchor the building in the surrounding terrain. The natural aging of exterior materials helps the house blend into its setting and reduces maintenance.